heysusy

Weekender

 

I just thought you guys might enjoy this image. Was I right?

Have an inspiring weekend, everyone!

Found Here

More about artist Yinka Shonibare HERE

Sense and Sensibility

 

If someone ever asked me how it feels to wear the perfect pair of pants, I would just point to the top image.

Ever since I saw it, I can't stop thinking about Mats Gustafson's work.

Monday Inspiration

Well Hellooooooo Monday Morning.

Last night I had a dream that I had been given a little kitten to babysit. She belonged to my next-door neighbor. She was orange and white, very little...almost too little to live. 

But the more love I gave her, the more she grew. I petted her and gave her little kisses, and by the time I had to give her back to my neighbor, she was good and healthy, able to jump down from my shoulder...with a soft coat and shiny fur.

Anyway, who knows what that little kitten was to me... I think she's my Artist. Perhaps, my pride.

I found this photo here over the weekend, and I thought it was a perfect match for this post. Isn't our world incredible...even if we don't always understand it.

Color me impressed.

 

Hi Everyone!

I've been working away this week...trade show in Atlanta coming up over the weekend, however, I'm dubious that there will be a big turnout since Mother Nature seems to be on a tear.

Anyway, I have wanted to post about this illustrator, Niki Pilkington ever since I was introduced to her work. I love the hot colors mixing with great line illustrations. Yum!

I know I've said this before, but there are so many decent illustrators who simply can't (or won't?) draw faces or hands. I always want to take them aside and say, "OK, compositionwise, conceptwise, you're great and I like you. But it would really benefit your work if you focused on your craft. Just take the time to get a method for the FACES and HANDS. Because I just can't LOVE you unless you show me you can do the hard parts." Some illustrators even leave OUT the faces and hands...which I think always looks like...well, like they got lazy. Do you know what I mean?

Sigh. Sorry. I'm in a snit. So here is your reward for being so tolerant...Incredible talent, mixed with really cool color observations. More by this wonderful (faces and hands included!) artist HERE.

A Complicated Portrait

 

Hi Everyone - what a busy week it has been. I've been in the process of refining designs for next year, and I'm almost there... but it's taking a while for me to get them right where I want them.

Above are three images from Alexandra Rowley's series of portraits of her father. I came across this series via this blog, and since I first saw it, I have been thinking about it.

A little personal side-note, my parents recently sold our family home of about 40 years. It was in New England, and the three of us have spoken often about the fact we'll miss New England more than we'll miss the house.

As my parents busied themselves categorizing, packing, and discarding elements of our life there, from afar, I found myself mentally going through each room and picturing the objects in it in my mind...almost trying to mentally solidify them for later reference. In a way, I felt like I was holding each item I saw in my thoughts, almost meditating on it. It's strange how objects can have a life -- or show a life. We are so tied to this physical world, to things, to our effect on things.

This series of portraits above was created in the year of the photographer's father's death. She began photographing his belongings and did not stop until three years later. I have to say, the fact this was a process - in more ways than one -- is what makes it so special. This genre of photography, the "collection" often feels so arbitrary and stylized -- it is amazing to see it as a medium when it actually MEANS something.

I find this series at once disturbing, and loving...and complex...as relationships often are. There is a comfort in these objects, but also a sadness, a remote-ness, and a finality. As a process, this is an interesting way to come to terms with the end of something, someone. The unique fold of a handkerchief, the contents of a pocket, the hard barrier of a necktie... the way the sole of a shoe looks like a smoothed plot of dirt.

I guess I will stop there - you probably get what I am trying to explain.
View more from this series here.

Have a wonderful weekend, and don't forget...the more you look, the more you find!

xx S

Play on, Player: Anthony Zinonos

I am going to come right out and say I think this collage illustrator, Anthony Zinonos is one to watch.

I really love the smart spontanaeity of this work. Not too much...just enough. Leaves me wanting more. Feels very right.

Was totally smitten by this zine Le Dot - the story of an orange adhesive dot - and then went on to find some more amazing work on his website.

And then some more for sale.

Enjoy!

All the Necessary Ingredients

Oh, I just love Carl Kleiner's work. I originally posted about him way back here, and I was so excited to see some new work up at his site....Wouldn't it be interesting if all of our recipe cards looked like this instead?

I like the idea he's playing with below, too... an interesting take on His and Hers!

More HERE

lovely weekends, all!

 

Out to eat

They say every sandwich has a soul. Well, no, they don't really say that. But they DO say a cup of tea has feelings. Actually, wait. They don't say that.

But they might, if they saw food through this artist's eyes.

Now I need to go find a snack.

 

Layered Stripes

I can't get enough of these stitched, layered, natural striped patterns.

Especially loving this Vietnamese Hilltribe pillow (how perfectly positioned is that red embroidered accent?)

And this set of notecards - I would use them as artwork - by one of my favorite...actually, probably my absolute favorite... paper designers. *

 

 

* other than myself

Grey Gardens

 

Feeling so inspired by this photo - it brings so many other images to mind.... Love the graphite color, too...

Found here